Proponents see growing support in General Assembly for concealed carry

Thursday

Apr 14, 2011 at 12:01 AMApr 14, 2011 at 2:01 PM

SPRINGFIELD -- Votes Wednesday on two proposals to impose new gun restrictions in Illinois may point to increasing support for concealed carry in the General Assembly.

ANDY BROWNFIELD

SPRINGFIELD -- Votes Wednesday on two proposals to impose new gun restrictions in Illinois may point to increasing support for concealed carry in the General Assembly.

“I still feel very good about it,” said Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, sponsor of a House concealed carry bill. “We’ve been asked by some Cook County legislators about maybe making some deals.

“I really believe we’re close to 70 (votes). We’re getting there all the time.”

Phelps said he hopes to call his measure for a vote in the coming weeks. Because a concealed carry proposal would override municipalities’ home-rule authority, it will take 71 votes to pass the House, as opposed to a simple majority of 60 votes.

The two measures that failed in the House Wednesday, House Bills 1855 and 203, would have imposed penalties on gun owners who didn’t promptly report lost or stolen firearms and would have limited Illinoisans to one gun purchase per month.

In both cases, more than 65 lawmakers voted "no."

“I hope they’re willing to deal,” Phelps said.

The bill to require gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm within 72 hours was sponsored by Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, who sponsored the theft reporting proposal, said he doesn’t think concealed carry has the votes to pass. However, he said he might be open to allowing something similar in areas outside of Chicago.

“I would consider it in certain parts of the state, but not in all parts of the state -- for instance, Chicago,” he said.

The sponsor of the measure to restrict purchases, Rep. Will Burns, also a Chicago Democrat, said the vote showed where people line up on concealed carry, too.

“What’s particularly troubling to me is that I feel that the National Rifle Association has taken an absolutist interpretation of the Second Amendment,” Burns said.

Opponents of both bills said they would be ignored by criminals and hurt only law-abiding citizens.